The Cannabis Pipes You Need

For quite a few decades, cannabis users didn’t have many design options when it came to smoking implements. The underground nature of the market called for handmade pipes made from low-tech materials. But with legal weed booming in several states, the paraphernalia is starting to go corporate, and accessories are no longer relegated to the old psychedelic aesthetics of blown glass and trippy color combos. Now, as people of all different backgrounds and tastes come out of the cannabis closet, a niche market is quickly emerging, especially for for well-designed pipes. Here’s a look at eight very different new pipes, bongs, and one-hitters across a range of budgets that pair perfectly with every strain. Find the perfect gift for someone, or pick out something to splurge on for yourself:

Joints and blunts transport easily and are great for spontaneous enjoyment, but they have flaws. A surprising number of veteran cannabis smokers have gone years without learning how to roll them — and sometimes even master rollers want to cut to the chase. Enter the 7 Pipe

Twisty Glass Blunt, a modern but still psychedelic-looking tube that provides all the functionality of a blunt without the laborious rolling

Just fill the tube with your ground bud and twist in the central corkscrew rod. A removable rubber cap at the end lets you light up this ersatz blunt and when you’re done, a quick counter-clockwise twist lets you dispose of your burnt residue. At $49.99, this is a great mid-budget gadget for easy transport.

Featured in an early episode of High Maintenance, this sturdy bowl from the U.K. has a shape and heft that’s familiar to users of traditional blown-glass pipes. Journey stands out though, with a sleek, futuristic design (available in different metallic colors) that’s as functional as it is striking. The pipe magnetically snaps apart into two halves for super-easy cleaning. The bowl itself also stays cool every time you light and hit. Journey is currently backordered, but keep your eye out for restocks or brand new products from this slick manufacturer. The price is more than reasonable for its high-tech construction.

One-hitters get a bad rap because there’s really not much to them. This dugout kit changes that, without sacrificing discretion or portability. The wooden box has a compartment for ground bud and another to hold the pipe itself.

Simply twist the one-hitter into the bud to fill it up and then store it away again, with no one the wiser

As with all one-hitters, clean-up can be a bit of a pain, but the convenience of carrying around a small stash of bud along with your pipe more than makes up for it. This rustic-looking kit falls on the higher end of a paraphernalia budget, but there are plenty of great, cheaper dugouts available.

Summerland’s ceramic pieces pare more traditional bongs down to their bare essentials. This minimalist, geometric bong is perfect for the smoker who likes their glassware to be as aesthetically pleasant as it is recreational. The Pleasure Point exudes 70s and Southwest vibes and makes a great social conversation piece. It’s definitely more delicate and more expensive than run-of-the-mill standing bongs, but as a piece of low-key art, it may be worth the price tag. Summerland also has some pieces with more bold colors and patterns designed by prominent artists and designers.

Another no-frills one-hitter, this slim piece is from SilverStick. The alloy tube uses replaceable cotton filters to ensure smooth, easy smoke and reduces the negative side effects of combusting bud

A luxury not usually associated with one-hitters

SilverStick also takes care of cleanup, and includes a small poker to dig out the substantially-sized bowl. Only $27.50 (with replacement filters available for $7.50), this little pipe is a wallet-friendly and easily concealable way to enjoy small quantities of bud.

Glassware giant Grav Labs manufactures a huge range of durable and clean-looking pipes and bongs. Based in Austin, their products are sold at smoke shops and glassware stores nationwide. The reliable Helix Classic is a great handheld pipe that uses some basic physics to yield a great psychedelic effect — as smoke is drawn from the bowl into the chamber, it swirls around in a DNA-like helix swirl. The pipe is made of lightweight but durable borosilicate glass, making it hard to break and easy to see the twisting smoke.

This collapsible bong uses the same principle as those space-saving, telescoping mixing bowls that appeal to legions of Bed, Bath & Beyond fans. Made of foldable rubber and available in a few different colors, it won’t break if you accidentally kick it over on your way to the fridge. It’s also maybe the only bong that can travel without any high maintenance or special packing . Best of all, it’s dishwasher-safe (!), giving you no excuse not to clean it out regularly and risk the smell of old bongwater. If you’re not particularly concerned with artistic merit, Roll-Uh-Bowl is an awesome, relatively cheap choice.

Not all pipes need to be scientifically engineered or have some kind of hard-edged masculine practicality. If you want to channel Stevie Nicks when you’re smoking (and honestly, why wouldn’t you?), there are plenty of creative craftspeople on Etsy selling pipes made out of crystals and natural gemstones. Although the functionality is fairly basic, with a rough bowl and replaceable filters, any of these would made a great accessory for the crunchy neo-hippie in your life. If you’re of a more spiritual bent, there’s probably also something to be said for charging your bud with the healing crystal energies of Mother Gaia. As with all seller-generated internet marketplaces, be sure to browse some reviews before purchasing.

The Cannabis Pipes You Need was last modified: September 7th, 2018 by Vincent Ballantine